EAPN p reparations for 2010

1. EAPN preparations for 2010 Workshop 2 breaking stereotypes: communicating the realities of poverty EAPN General Assembly, Vienna, June 12th 2009

2. Update on preparation • EAPN approach and activities • National Networks • Next steps

3. Update on preparations

4. What is going on at EU level • European Commission priorities: - nominating national Implementation Bodies (NIBs) - selecting a communication agency • dialogue with stakeholders • dialogue with NIBs: Consultative Committee • EU 2010 Task Force • Little visibility of the political dimension of the Year Spanish and Belgian presidencies: positive and open but need to get more concrete

5. National preparations: timeline • Mid May 2009: submission of national programmes to Commission (+/- half submitted by mid June) • July 2009: approval of national programmes (assessments under way of first programmes) • September 2009: first calls for projects • December 2009: signing of contracts between the Commission and the National Implementing Bodies

6. National preparation: National Networks’ concerns • Positive • - Partnership, support to network’s staff • - Improved relations with ministry, permanent Consultative Committee for Social Inclusion • - Advisory committee membership • However • - Lack of information and transparency on composition of the NIB: will they have political dimension and link with NAPs? • - Lack of strong NGO participation and good dialogue in some countries • Low level of funding, and budgets for NGOs? (crisis) • Concern about deadlines slipping

7. EU NGOs cooperation • Regular exchange with about 40 organisations (NGOcontact group) • Steering group of 9 organisations • AGE, European Women's Lobby, CARITAS EUROPA, Social Platform Secretariat, Solidar, Eurochild, European Anti-Poverty Network, FEANTSA, ATD Quart Monde • - EAPN providing secretariat: EY 2010 coordinator

8. Key EU communications events during the Year • - Media conference (29 October 2009) • - Opening (Jan 21 2010) and closing conferences • - EU focus weeks: Spring and Autumn • - Website and newsletter • - Ambassadors (‘famous’ + people’s ambassadors) • - Art exhibition (artists with PEP) + journalists competition • - Media relation networks • Logo, banners, posters, letterheads…

9. EAPN approach and proposals for activities

10. General framework Making the link across Europe • Rotating national focus: National Focus Weeks • - activities throughout all year but one “under spotlight” • European calendar with all countries taking part • Two European « focus weeks » : Spring Media Week and Human Ring around the European Insitutions (October) • - exchange on outcomes • strong participation and outreach • beyond traditional conference: debates and events (festivals, sports, arts, symbolic events…)

11. Strengthen democratic participation • Ensure that 2010 gives a voice to people experiencing poverty and helps turning good practices into policies • Strengthen dialogue between NGOs and public authorities • Highlight NGOs’ difficult situation (crisis) • Help strengthen link with NGOs from candidate countries

12. Some National Focus Weeks already decided Jan - Feb 15-21 Ireland 22-28 Austria March 1-7 Hungary (+F 4-10?), 8-14 Slovenia, 15-21 Lux April 5-11 Malta, 12-18 Czech Republic May 31-June 6 Spain June 21-27 Germany, 28-July 4 Poland(+Bulgaria?) July 5-11 Romania August - September 13-19 Lithuania, 20-26 Belgium, 27-Oct 3 UK October 4-10 Portugal, 18-24 Cyprus, 25-31 Sweden November 1-7 Denmark, 8-14 Greece, 15-21 italy, 22-28 Finland December -

13. Strengthen democratic participationHow? • Each NN organises event with strong participation during national focus weeks • Strong participation in EU level focus week (People Experiencing Poverty meeting, May) • Exchange and support to National Networks in their dialogue with National Implementing Bodies • EAPN paper on participation in the fight against poverty

14. Towards new political commitment • - Make sure the Year is more than a communication campaign and new steps are made • Review steps made in the last decades at different levels (local=>EU) • Link to debate on crisis and post-Lisbon

15. Political outcomes: a reflection in the making: what do we imagine? • (draft GA final declaration) • - Rights and dignity for all • - Economy at the service of people and public interest • - That all policies are mobilised to end poverty in Europe/ re-thinking the system • - Mobilisation and participation of everyone • - Solidarity between the struggles against poverty in the world and in Europe

16. Political outcomes: A reflection in the making: what are we calling for? • Vision and strategy • Poverty at the heart of a new post Lisbon strategy • Social Progress Pact • Global social standards • Legislation • EU Directive on Adequate Minimum Income • Framework Directive on Services of General Interest • Strengthen EU anti discrimination legislation • Better governance and more participation • Reinforce the OMC • Recognise the value and rights of PEP • Mobilisation of resources • Financial support to NGOs in the fight against poverty

17. Awareness raisingHow? • National and EU level focus weeks • Portraits of PEP drafted by National Networks • National template with key info on each country • Video on aspirations for 2010 and photo exhibition building on 8th People Experiencing Poverty meeting • Night of broadcasting (May EU week) • Human Rings (October EU week) • Common NGO website • Written contribution on all key messages • Alliance with media

18. Alliance-building • Key objective in itself: • make 2010 visible and as participatory as possible • get as many actors as possible to put poverty on their agenda in 2010 • How? • Keep on supporting NGO dynamic (secretariat + chair) • Approach foundations to provide national and EU support • - Engage trade unions, business, key EU Institutions around political requests and EU focus weeks

19. What about National Networks?

20. Proposal for common NN activities • Each NN has own priorities but suggestion for some common contributions: • One event with strong participatory dimension (during the focus week) and outreach, cooperation with other stakeholders • Contribution to 1 country fiche to give more detail, highlight progress made, good and bad practices (to be used for each focus week) • Written portraits of People Experiencing Poverty

21. Initial proposals for NN activities: awareness-raising • Awareness raising campaign challenging stereotypes (FIN, PT) • Social Housing Agency (Lux) • Exhibition on homelessness (S) • - Interactive theatre (AT, BE, DE) • Artistic competitions (films, novels: DE) • Business to commit publicly (ad in stations: DK) • - Symbolic actions (10 stones in front of Parliament, DE) • - Access to culture event (Lux) • - Action week of counselling services (« poverty link »,DE) • Training and recommendations for key actors (schools, media, NGO staff, politicians, civil servants) • Many participation events

22. Initial proposals for NN activities: political outcomes Someideas for national outcomes: - New horizontal anti-povertyagency (PL, HU) - New anti-povertystrategy (PL) - Concretetargets and objectives (BE, DE) • New minimum incomeschemes (AT, HU) • Quantifiedpovertytargets (SP) BE (and SP) focusing on EU outcomes (presidencies): • - New EU targets and commitment for 2020

23. 4. What next?

24. Next steps • EAPN EU • Formulate the political message • Contract EY 2010 NGO website design • Liaise with NNs EY contacts • Liaise with EU NGO contact group • Disseminate information • Plan EY activities: Spring and Autumn Weeks NNs • - Engage with National Implementing Bodies • - Seek funding for activities • - Finalise plans for EU year • - Submit national information for EY 2019 NGO website

25. EAPN EY 2010 coordination • pauline.geoghegan@eapn.eu